Thanks to Smitten Kitchen for this amazing recipe.

INGREDIENTS

65 grams finely grated aged Pecorino Romano
10 grams) cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon fine sea
1/2 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
45 grams unsalted butter, melted
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/8-inch-thick

DIRECTIONS

Heat your oven to 375°F. Combine the cheese, cornstarch, salt, and pepper in a small dish.

Pour 1 tablespoon butter or oil into the bottom of a 9-inch-diameter cast-iron or ovenproof skillet, and swirl it up the sides. Arrange the potatoes in overlapping concentric circles in a single layer at the bottom of the pan. (This will use approximately a quarter of your sliced potatoes.) Drizzle with 1 teaspoon butter and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the cheese-pepper mixture. Repeat this three or four times to use up your potatoes. At the end, you should have about 1 tablespoon cheese-pepper mixture left over; reserve this. Drizzle any remaining melted butter over the top.

Lightly coat a piece of foil with nonstick spray and cover the skillet tightly with it. Put in heated oven for 35 minutes. Use potholdered hands to press firmly on the foil to compact the potatoes a bit. Remove and reserve the foil and bake for 25 to 30 minutes more, until lightly brown all over. Press again with the foil, remove, then briefly run under the broiler for an even golden-brown finish.

Once the galette is out of the oven, let it rest in the skillet for a few minutes before running a knife around to ensure that it is loose. Gently tip the skillet over your sink to drain any excess butter or oil. Invert it onto a plate and sprinkle with leftover cheese and pepper.

Initially my dad was put off at how horrible the oranges were. Pretty sure he’ll change his tune when he realizes they were lemons.

INGREDIENTS

Crust:
1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Lemon layer:
6 large eggs at room temperature
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (5 to 6 lemons)
1 cup lemon juice
1 cup flour

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet.

Crust:
cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into the greased baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill.

Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.

Lemon Layer:
Whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for approximately 40 minutes.  Make sure filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.

Cut into rectangles and dust with confectioners’ sugar.

I used this recipe.

Why settle when you can have both?

INGREDIENTS

Pie Crust:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3.1/2 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3 to 4 tablespoons ice water

Pumpkin filling:
1 1/4 cups solid pack pumpkin
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons half-and-half
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt

Walnut filling:
3/4 cup light corn syrup
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS

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Shortbread is one of the simplest and most delicious cookies out there. So why n

INGREDIENTS

This is what happens when you bake the night before…

INGREDIENTS
1 1/4 cups butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Royal Icing for decorating

DIRECTIONS

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Place butter and sugar in large bowl of electric stand mixer and beat until light in color. Add egg beat to combine. Put mixer on low speed, gradually add flour, and beat until mixture pulls away from the side of the bowl. Divide the dough in half, wrap in waxed paper, and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Sprinkle surface where you will roll out dough with powdered sugar. Remove 1 wrapped pack of dough from refrigerator at a time, sprinkle rolling pin with powdered sugar, and roll out dough to 1/4-inch thick. Move the dough around and check underneath frequently to make sure it is not sticking. If dough has warmed during rolling, place cold cookie sheet on top for 10 minutes to chill. Cut into desired shape, place at least 1-inch apart on greased baking sheet, parchment, or silicone baking mat, and bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until cookies are just beginning to turn brown around the edges, rotating cookie sheet halfway through baking time. Use Royal icing to decorate as you desire.

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I’ve tried several brioche recipes.  This one is from Epicurious.

INGREDIENTS

Dough Starter (Sponge):

2 tablespoons water, at room temperature
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
1/2 cup flour
1 egg

Flour mixture:

1 cup + 1 1/2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, very soft

Egg Glaze
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon cream

PREPARATION

 

Begin the night before. In the mixer bowl, place the water, sugar, instant yeast, flour, and egg. Whisk by hand until very smooth, to incorporate air, about 3 minutes. The sponge will be the consistency of a very thick batter. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and set it aside, covered with plastic wrap while you prepare the flour mixture.

In a small bowl, whisk the flour with the sugar and yeast. Then whisk in the salt (this keeps the yeast from coming in contact with the salt, which would kill it). Sprinkle this mixture on top of the sponge. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap and let it stand for 1 1/2 to 2 hours at room temperature. The sponge will bubble through the flour mixture in places.

After the first rise, add the 2 cold eggs and mix with the dough hook on low (#2 if using a KitchenAid) for about 1 minute or until the flour is moistened. Raise the speed to medium (#4 KitchenAid) and beat for 2 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl with an oiled spatula and continue beating for about 5 minutes longer or until the dough is smooth and shiny but very soft and sticky. It will mass around the dough hook but not pull away from the bowl completely.

Add the butter by the tablespoon, waiting until each addition is almost completely absorbed before adding the next tablespoon, beating until all the butter is incorporated. The dough will be very soft and elastic and will stick to your fingers.  It will firm considerably after chilling.

Using an oiled spatula or dough scraper, scrape the dough into a 1-quart dough rising container or bowl, greased lightly with cooking spray or oil. Lightly spray or oil the top of the dough and cover the container with a lid or plastic wrap.  Allow the dough to rise until doubled, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

 

Deflate the dough and then place it covered in the refrigerator over night.

In the morning, remove the dough from the refrigerator and gently press it down to deflate it. Cut the dough into 8 pieces and roll them into balls.  Place them in a greased loaf pan and let them rise for another hour or so while you preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly beat together the egg yolk and cream for the glaze. Brush the top of the brioche with the egg glaze, being careful not to drip any on the side of the pans, or it will impede rising.

Bake for approximately 30-35 minutes.  Let cool for 10 minutes and then remove from pan.  Best served warm or toasted.

 

 

Getting ready for Halloween.

INGREDIENTS

Muffins:
2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup melted butter
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Zest of one lemon
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 cup blueberries
1/4 cup blueberry jam

Glaze:
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 cup powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS

Grease 12 muffin cups, or line with paper muffin liners.

Sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, lemon zest. In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter, egg, lemon juice (1/2 lemon), and buttermilk.

Pour the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients and stir just until mixed (the batter will not be smooth). Fold in blueberries. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. 

Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tins and fill halfway.  Add a 1/2 teaspoon of blueberry jam and then fill the rest of the muffin cup to the top. Bake in the preheated oven until golden and the tops spring back when lightly pressed, about 18 minutes.

While cooling, whisk lemon juice and powdered sugar then brush over hot muffins.

I made this recipe up with some inspiration from Japanese cheesecakes. 

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups sugar cookie crumbs
5 tablespoons melted butter

Filling:
2 – 8 oz packages of cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs, room temperature plus whites from two eggs
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Topping:
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chopped finely

DIRECTIONS